Col. Jon T. Thomas, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander,

Col. Jon T. Thomas, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander, Dr. Joe Leverett, Altus Military Affairs Committee chairman, and Ashley Bubacz, widow to Staff Sgt. Andrew S. Bubacz, admire the memorial bench during the unveiling ceremony in the Wings of Freedom Park here April 7. Bubacz died Nov. 12 while deployed to Afghanistan and was the first Altus airman to die while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. A forested area within the Wings of Freedom Park was designated as the "Combat Airmen's Grove" to recognize Altus airmen who have fallen in a combat theater of operation along with a granite bench donated by the Altus Military Affairs Committee upon which the names of the fallen airmen are inscribed.